Replace Amazon

January 2019

Of all the Big Tech companies, Amazon may be the most muted in terms of its spying on and censoring its users and sellers. But Amazon does spy on you and engages in selective censorship and the shadow-banning of books and other materials that are insufficiently progressive. Here are some alternatives to Amazon.

It should be noted that these alternatives basically aspire to become Amazon, so they are alternatives only in the sense that they are not Amazon, rather than in the sense that they do not spy on you. All of them do. However, by patronizing them, you limit the expansion of the Amazon empire and help prepare for the day when a radically decentralized marketing system is created that will guarantee your privacy.

Actually, this radically decentralized market already exists, but its use is limited to those who are able to buy and sell using cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. For more on this decentralized marketplace see the OpenBazaar article.

OverStock.com began as a seller of surplus goods, and you can still get good deals there on such items. You can also use OverStock.com to buy items directly from craftsmen around the world. At the same time, it is a full-spectrum online retailer.

Although, eBay is an auction site you can often buy used goods at fixed prices by searching for products that are labeled “Buy it Now.” Also, to save money, look for “eBay Deals,” which are heavily discounted products with free shipping. The only problem is that they may run out of stock before you purchase. Although eBay has strong customer protections, scammers frequent the site. Also, people often complain about customer service.